Swire Shipping Fijian Drua captain Isoa Nasilasila says the Crusaders have won a lot of titles at Apollo Projects stadium, making it a tough place to play, and he hoped the new stadium would not be as challenging for visiting teams.

This after his side went down 69-26 to a dominant Crusaders outfit in Christchurch, as he acknowledged both the challenge of the venue and the class of the opposition.

Nasilasila says the defending champions were simply too strong on the night, capitalising on a fast start and maintaining momentum that the Drua struggled to contain.

“Obviously, they’re a good Crusaders team and we just couldn’t stop them. They’ve got a good roll on, good start, so they’re a tough team to stop.”

The Drua skipper admits his side’s own execution fell short, pointing to handling errors and inconsistency as key factors in the defeat.

“Yeah, I just didn’t do things that we’d want to do. We don’t probably continue with it all the time. It’s obviously, again, just handling errors. That sort of let us down a little bit.” 

He also felt the match had moments where decisions and small margins did not go their way, but was quick to credit the Crusaders for their control of the contest.

“It was a bit loose probably from us and from probably the referee a little bit as well. I think there’s a couple of things that could have gone our way. But you’ve just got to take credit to Cody and the Crusaders for what they’ve done.”

Beyond the result, Nasilasila also reflected on playing at the iconic Christchurch venue, which is set to transition as the team prepares for a new stadium era.

Despite mixed personal memories, he acknowledged its place in Super Rugby history.

“It’s been a pretty, I guess, special but interesting place… you can see the history over the last couple of years, especially after the earthquake. They’ve done a great job and it’s served its purpose.”

He adds that while the ground has been a fortress for the Crusaders, he hopes the move brings a fresh chapter.

“The Crusaders have won a lot of titles here. So it’s a tough place to play at. So hopefully, the new stadium’s not as bad.”

Nasilasila also took a moment to appreciate the strong Fijian support in Christchurch, saying it provided some comfort in a tough away environment.

“It’s always good to hear Fijians wherever you play in the world. So yeah, it definitely helped a bit.”

The Drua will now turn their attention to next week as they look to regroup and bounce back.

They meet the Western Force at 4.35pm in Lautoka and you can watch the LIVE action on FBC Sports.